White Christmas

Well..as 2007 comes to a close and our house gets quieter as my sister and her family return back to the Netherlands after a six months stay, I realize I've been a bad blogger and now stand here vowing to make 2008 a better blog year! :) Hopefully it will be just simply because I'll have more things to blog about. Along with more drawings and animation. Those that have been following my blog for the updates on my current short film, I have not forgotten you or my film. I will be starting back into it, full speed maybe even before the clock strikes 12 on New Years Eve! But until then, I wish you all a wonderful Christmas (past) and a kick butt New Year (to come!!). Keep checking in...

Until laterz!

Vacation and holiday..

Hey loyal readers!

I know it's been a few weeks since I've posted, but it's not all for lack of work or whatever. I first was out in LA getting the feel for the land of my future home and career. And even though the photo makes it seem like my dream job at Disney came to happen...not quit yet. But I did have some good meetings with a few people at Feature Animation. Then there was the grand Turkey Day holiday, and add in a nasty cold that kicked my butt for most of last week, we're up to this week. I've got a ton of stuff going on, but fear not I will be continuing to work on my much anticipated short! Please keep checking for future posts!

Until laterz!

A Teaser...

Welcome back loyal readers!

Well, I'm in the final stages of prepping for my trip to sunny Cali. As far as my animated short, it's not as into the story as I'd have liked it, but I realized I needed to go back to the "drawing board" and take more chances with my animation and really use every shot as a chance to get create some amazing animation...or at least good animation. SOOOO, here's the teaser for my short, "The Quest for El Capitan's Crunch".



Until laterz!

Slow week...

Hey wonderful viewers!

I'm trying to get things ready for my trip to L.A. next week...which means tweaks, rough animation, clean up and more tweaks on my film. As well as trying to get some meet and greets lined up with some industry peeps. I'll of course have more updates on THAT part of my life when I get more post worthy stuff. Buf for now, just gonna show some stills. Hope that tides you over some!

So...until then..here's a couple CLOSER to finished stills:



Until laterz!

A little more Ninja action...

Welcome back, ya'll! The end of the weekend brings a post I wasn't sure I was going to put up. I don't want to show my WHOLE short before it's done. I want that "OOHHH" and "WOW" factor when everyone sees it. So those that have been watching my progress, the test is going to be if I can STILL get those reactions from you all when the film is finished! Sooooo, here's ALMOST the entire second scene. And thanks to my bro, Saxx, for the help with the MUCH needed transition INTO this scene. I have some more changes I want to make to add some more personality, but I guess I want to share how this whole thing is coming together. I hope you all enjoy it!



Until laterz!

Still here....

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to post to let you all that I'm STILL hard at work on this short. I've just not gotten any post worthy stuff recently. I want to give you some little tidbits, but don't wanna give away ALL the sweet shots! ha! I'm on schedule to be "done" with the first half of the short by mid-Nov. I say "done" because I have this feeling I'll be going back to some of the early shots and tweaking them, maybe adding a shot here or there..but I wanna see everything together and THEN tweak. Anyways..I'm still alive, still working daily...and still can't wait to see this short come to completion!

Until laterz!

Rough Cut...pt. 1

Here's the first unvailing of a rough edit of the first couple scenes of my short film. Could I fit any more prepositional phrases in that sentence? Now, of course there are many things I'm going to fix/add/create/re-do before the final version, like the backgrounds aren't final colors, the atmostphere and special effects in some shots will be added, and some timing issues will be addressed, as well as finishing the REST of the film! I simply wanted to let my loyal readers in on more of the story and cleaned up animation, so hopefully seeing some shots put together will do that. As always, comments and critiques are welcome. Enjoy!



Until laterz!

Cat Clock

I know it's been a couple days since I've posted anything, so I thought I'd put up this simple animation of Dakota Kid's clock. This is part of the first scene. I kinda like the design of it, and think it will fit in wonderfully to his bedroom...as soon as I finish it!



Until laterz!

Scene 1, shot 2

I've been working on the background color and style, as well as starting to figure out camera, compositing and such. Here's the first look at what this lil' film may look like, only with some more tweaks. Hope ya'll enjoy this glimpse!

Until laterz!

A little background

Tonight was all about backgrounds. I realized I needed some new backgrounds for some scenes that got shots added or reworked, so I've been spending some time creating them. Plus, I have one or two that need those tweaks to make it really work.

This is a hallway shot, but it's also a glimpse of what the completed bedroom will feel like, but MORE.



Here's a longer hallway view from the ninja scene.



And yet another hallway shot...



I am still figuring out the final colored look for the backgrounds, but when that gets figured out ya'll will be the first to see!!

Until laterz!

Walk like a ninja....

Just something to tide you loyal readers over until a post of more substance....and to keep me going on posts. Can't let my viewers down! For those who are keeping track, I'm into about the third week of full production this short. I think I'm pretty close to being on schedule. I had wanted to get one scene roughed per week...we'll see if that happens. Really, I just want to keep chuggin away. Not focus on being behind or ahead. This shot is in three stages. Some is roughed, some is cleaned up/inked and a couple frames are colored. Needed to see how the character looked in color. Here ya go..it goes quick!



Until laterz!

A cowboy's life...

The second to last costume design, the Cowboy! Enjoy...



Until laterz!

Red means GO!

So, after some comments about color choices in my Ninja costume from a long time reader of the blog...and big support for this short, I went back to a color combo that closer matches most peoples idea of what Ninja's look like. Granted, I thought at first the Marti Gras color scheme worked for my Ninja, I am growing to like this version better. What do you guys think? I am always open to comments you guys have about my lil' ol' short!



Until laterz!

A rough quickie

Today's post is a short one. It's another ROUGH group of shots. It goes fast and you may need to watch it a couple times to catch it all. This is the shortest scene currently of the whole short...and unfortunatly it's with one of my favorite costumes of the short. I'm trying to get the other scenes thumbnailed out so I can get those ROUGHED out soon.




Until laterz!

28 years ago...

...a buddy named Campbell was born! Happy Birthday, Bro!!

Still working..."rough"ly...

Here's the latest animation scene. Just a warning, it's ROUGH, but at least it gives you a glimpse at what I'm up too.



Until laterz!

Wonderful world of COLOR!!!

Inbetween drawing up some rough animation, I'm playing around with the colors of my character. Don't take these as the final colors, but these are the current colors for the Ninja and Superhero scenes. I'd appreciate any feedback on the colors or anything else to do with the character design.


And yeah...I know this color doesn't hide the inspiration for this superhero...but what can I say, it's a great color combo!


Until laterz!

to infinity...and BEYOND

Another glimpse of the last "imagination" costume...the space scene.



until laterz!

Ninjas and Superheroes and Dakota, OH MY!!!

Here's some of the further character designs from the short. There are a total of five "imagination" scenes in my short and so, five different costumes. Originally, I was going to have Dakota just pretend through the whole piece, but decided that it'd be cooler (and more visually fun) if he actually changed into what he was pretending to be...but you'll see more of that when you see the short!

until then..here's the sheets:

Howdy pardner!

Here's how Dakota imagines himself looking when he is in the western/cowboy segment of the short. I've been busy working on backgrounds and inking the turnarounds of the extra character costumes...more to come laterz!

Until laterz!

Dakota Kid...finalized!

So here's some of the first finished character sheets for the "normal" look of the main character, DAKTOA KID. I've finalized the five other looks of the character, but yet to get them inked and colored. Since I'm the only one that's working on this short, I'm not really needing to do finished sheets like these, but to be honest, it makes me feel a tad more professional! So without further adooo, here's the first character design sheets:

A new direction...

If you read my last post, one would think that I was bringing this current blog to an end. This would have been correct, except that I decided to change the direction of this blog. Better yet, I wanted to focus this blog a little more. If you go to my website, you can see my blog that has more random life and career stuff. I've recently decided to FULLY plunge into completing another animated short. The catch this time, I want to do it right and hopefully finish with a product I really feel proud of. SOO...I'm going to use this blog to keep all you LOYAL viewers updated on the production. I have, and still do, enjoy finding blogs from other animators telling and showing their creative processes. Now maybe I'll get some animators that find encouragement from this blog...and if not..at least it's letting a few of my friends see what I'm up to!

So..I'll be posting some pre-production stuff on here soon.

Until laterz!

Change of Blogs...

Hey all!

Just to let you know that I'm posting more blog stuff on my website....

http://www.aliengraphicx.com/DakotaKid%20Corral%20Blog/DakotaKid%20Corral%20Blog.html

It's just easier to keep it going on there. I may still use this page, but for now, check my website out for new stuff about me and see newer work.

Until laterz!

Dakota Kid sketches...

So besides the modeling in Maya, I've been reworking my design of Dakota Kid. I thought I had him nailed down, but then I realized I wanted to make him more animatable. The design style he was in was more flat Cartoon Network style...I'm going more for a traditional "old school" style. As well as something that has a little more volume to him. Having a small, short, squaty little character (which for some reason I usually design) makes it harder for me to draw some poses; hard to keep him on model..but I'll get it worked out. I'm also trying to get his face a little more concrete...it'll come. But for now..here's where I'm at:



Until laterz!

Look ma..no arms..

and the arms are roughed in. Not sure how fast the updates on this project will be, but I'll try to keep plugging away. I may switch to doing my own character so that I feel like something more then just coping a pattern of someone else. But it's at least good practice.

Here ya go:



Until laterz!

He's got legs...

And yet another stage of the creation. I've now got the torso and legs going pretty good. To be honest, I am not trying to create the perfect model..I'm just trying to further my skills with modeling. But at the same time, this will really help my OWN characters that I've decided it's gonna be cheaper and easier for me to model them..at least if I really want them realized.

So here ya go:



Next time..you have the right to BARE ARMS!!!

Until laterz!

Some more definition...

Hey all!

Here's the latest render for Meepers. I tried smoothing it and it seems I've got some parts that aren't seeming together. We'll see if I can get it figured out and add the legs and arms soon. Looks like this might be a good basic body for one of my current aniamtion ideas...time will tell!

so..here ya go!



Until laterz!

Little by little

So for most of you, you wouldn't really see THAT much difference in the torso from the last post to this one. But believe me..there's differences. And not just one is cubic and the other is smooth. But that's not important.

Anyways..here's the updated image render.



More to come soon!! Hopefully some legs...or an arm...or something..

Until laterz!

Latest Challenge

Hey all!

Even though I still need to blog about my trips to San Diego and San Jose this last month, I've decided that blogging about my animation is slightly more important. If only to keep me on task. I've started to do a little review project in modeling and such, aka. the part of 3D animaiton I don't see as my strong points. So, this is gonna seem really basic to some and maybe amazing or tiedious to others. Basically, this is just what I'm doing right now. I'm following a book that uses the characters from Sony's "The Chubbchubbs" animated short. So, the design isn't mine, but the work is.

Here's what I've got as of now. Isn't it pretty!!



Until laterz!

Prepare Ye for the...SIGGRAPH 2007 conference

Hey ya'll!!

I know, I know...been a long time..and yeah, I have some good excuses for my lack of blogging. And I have a feeling I've lost some of my friends checking my blog out regularly because of that lack. But patients will be rewarded. I've been all over the world since my last bloggings...Taiwan, Rapid City, SD...and various other closer places. I've been busy with my travel as well as coaching my team girls at the gym, playing softball with the guys from church (and taking a few massive slides for the team..at which I was safe every time!!).
But the biggest thing has been trying to get my crap in a pile and getting ready for THE conference for animators, SIGGRAPH 2007 in San Diego, CA this Aug. I leave from Omaha next Sunday and return to Omaha on Friday after. Some of you may remember that I went to this conference while I was still working in Taiwan at "the company we shall not name". I am returning better then ever. Last time, I really didn't feel I had a reel that I could fully push at employers. It was more for the experience and childhood dreams that I'd be discovered...even though my reel did NOT show my true talent (something I think many young animators find before they get into that first job...or at least animators like myself.) This year though, I'm coming guns blazing!! My demo reel is getting tighter by the day (still working on it as of right now!). My biz cards have been redesigned and they look HOT! The nice thing is that my print portfolio has been my strongest part...and because of that, I'm not changing much in that. I just gotta find those extras..UGH! SO anyways...

Anyways..just wanted to send out a note to make sure you all that still occasionally check my blog know that I'm still alive and kicking! I'm just working away at trying to get that animation job that God has in store for me!! It just might be I'll be posting about an amazing oppertunity that God has brought into my life!!! like maybe a job at Disney Feature Animation??? Dreams may come true..in time!!

well..until laterz!

Been a while...

hey readers! It's been a very long time since I've written. My excuses are good ones. First off, I was out of the country for a couple weeks. I was visiting the isle of Taiwan for a good friends wedding. I'll go into that more later. While there, my wonderful laptop of three and a half years decided to once again burn it's logic board (the mother board for those PC users!). This was the second replacement I've had in six months. So when I returned to the states, I decided it was smarter to invest in a new computer...the funny part was that barely having that new computer for a week, the hard drive decides to go bad and I'm once again without a computer for a week. UGH! Hopefully tomorrow I will once again be able to work and catch up on all that I need to.

After coming back to the states from Asia, I had a week of coaching at the gym and then went to the BEAUTIFUL Black Hills for a week of High School Camp. In a word, it was AMAZZZZING!!! To be in God's beauty and wonder was again great, but just to see him work in those kids was even better! Plus, we had the best kick-butt cabin, Cabin 12!!! I'll share more about that when I get my computer and photos back!!

well, that's about it for now. Gotta start getting ready for SIGGRAPH 2007 in San Diego!

Until laterz!

Cartoonist Exhibit

I talked a few weeks ago about a Cartoonist Exhibit I was asked to be a part of. I had a blast getting ready for it (well..after I figured out what I would create for it!). I used the time and "project" to work through some character designs for two projects of mine. One being my company/personal identity character, Dakota Kid. I've had the image of him in my brain, and just couldn't get it out on paper. A problem I tend to have with many of my great ideas! :) Anyways, I was finally able to be inspired to create what I think is pretty close to a finished design. But I know that even great characters evolve in design through the years, so Dakota Kid could find more changes, but for now, this is what I've got! Look for him on everything from t-shirts to coffee mugs to mud flaps...well..maybe not the mud flaps!

a little visitor

I was gonna post about this a couple weeks ago, but hadn't gotten to it. I was taking a break from working at my computer and looked out my window. Normally, you would see some of the wild cats (not REAL wild..but no one really owns them) or the cute little bunny wabbits...the same ones that mulitply like..well, rabbits. ha! anyways, back to the story. So you can understand why I grabbed my camera when i see this little fella (or girl) bounding around our backyard.

Until laterz!

13 Going on...

Current projects

Hey all!

I figured I should probably post an entry, so you guys don't think I've jumped OFF the bloggin bandwagon. I've been frantically trying to get some pieces ready for the "Sioux Falls Cartoonist Exhibit" that is happening here in May. My stuff is due to the people by May 1. That's not too long from now. Plus then add to that trying to get some things done and ready for my friends, Campbell and Linda's wedding, as well as, trying to get some "HELLO...HIRE ME!!" animation created and ready for the people at Disney to take notice...and then there's the work at the gym (ya know..the stuff that pays the bills!) and you pretty much have my whole life right there!



The image above is one of the pieces (I think) that I'll have in the show. (For some reason the image looks blue..that ain't right...but the true image is yellow!!) If I get another piece finished, this one might get bumped, but we'll see. After the opening, I'll post more on what I did put in, and how the show went.

Until laterz!

Cartoonist Day Exhibit

Hey all!

For those of you that are in the Sioux Falls area, the week of May 3-9th there will be a local cartoonist exhibit in Sioux Falls, SD. It's being held at Dunn Brother's Coffee on east 10th street. Myself, along with about 10 other professional cartoonists will be showing some work. If your in the area during the exhibit, check it out!

Where've I been??

Hey all!!

I realized I have tried to post a few times in the last couple months and for one reason or another, I didn't get it done. So, just to make sure you all know I'm still alive..here's a quickie. I've been pretty busy with work and coaching. The gymnastics season is coming to a close, so that's gonna make life a slight easier. I've had a few clients that have wanted some animation done, so that's taken most of my time. Now, I'm focused on a few personal projects and getting ready for a few trips this summer. I'm heading over to Taiwan for my wonderful friend's, Campbell Chang and Linda Way, wedding in June and then go to San Diego for this years SIGGRAPH 2007 conference and to catch up again with my friend Julie. I'll be posting more about these trips and about my next push to get a job at an animation studio (get ready Disney!!)

Until laterz!

Happy Chinese New Year!!

Today is New Years Day in the Chinese and other Asian cultures, the YEAR OF THE PIG! Happy New Year all! I missed posting on my birthday..then I forgot to post something on my MOST HATED holiday (Valentine's Day...yeah..well, do you blame this single guy???) and then realized that TODAY was Chinese New Year, so I drew up this image to celebrate with my friends in Taiwan! ENJOY the Holiday and week off!! Please tell me what all you guys did for the break!

Until laterz!

Oscar Noms Announced!

Early this morning, the Acadamy Award Nominations were announced. I'm excited for the three Animated Features (Cars, Happy Feet and Monster House) I have to admit I haven't seen "Monster House" yet, but will before the awards are handed out. But I am still behind "CARS"!! In my opinion it may not be Pixar's best flick, but it is the best of the year from these three.

I was also super happy to see "The Little Matchgirl", a Disney short. It was wonderful and if I remember right, it's been in production for a long time. I saw some of the pre-production stuff and LOVED the look of it. If you haven't seen it yet, you should try to find it. The AWN showcase has a clip and some stills. http://showcase.awn.com/showgallery.php?cat=778

In other Oscar news, even though "Dreamgirls" received 8 noms, it was shut out of the Best Picture catagory. But Jennifer Hudson was recognized (and my bet to win a golden trophy) for Best Supporting Actress as Effie White in Dreamgirls! I'm also happy that Meryl Streep was nominated for "Deveil Wears Prada" and Will Smith for "Pursuit of HappYness". The Oscar nominations always show me the movies I need to try to catch up on before the awards. And besides "Pan's Labyrinth" (which has yet to get to my neck of the world!!), I wanna check out "Half Nelson" with the Best Actor nom for Ryan Gosling. He's an actor that some people may know, and other's will as he gets more and more exposure. Gotta love those ex-Mouseketeers!!

Gotta start getting ready for my annual Oscar Party!! Whoo hoo!

Until laterz!

Yeah-but...

So the NEW YEAR is upon us and I decided I should make a post. This is a little illustration I just did today. It's a commissioned piece by a guy from church for one of our pastors that is leaving to go to a church plant in Custer, SD. I know, it took me a lot to create a NON-DISNEY character, but it's a paying gig! I do what pays the bills! :) It's actually an inside joke between the men that commissioned the drawing and Pastor, so I can't really tell you what the meaning of it is..except that the Pastor is most comfortable in his cowboy boots and hat.

Until laterz!